The Fairtree DP World Cannondale Race team is back in action and took on the Race2theSea 2026 on Saturday 5 September.

The cyclists were Luyanda Tobigunya (finished 43rd overall), Kwazi Mbhamli (64th), Ziandro Jordaan (44th), Ethan Michaels (65th), Kusaselihle Ngidi (58th), Winile Majavu (349th) and Yomlelela Mfazwe. Unfortunately, Mfazwe could not complete the race.

According to team manager Chris Norton, the new start venue added a fresh dimension to the race, with the Franschhoek, Aasvoël and Sonderend mountain ranges rising around riders as they gathered at the line, and the challenge and reward of the Rusty Gate Pass within the opening 20 kilometres.

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Kept the pace

From the summit, sweeping views across the Overberg opened up before familiar gravel roads returned, dropping below the wind turbines, through the ripening canola and wheat fields, and on towards the finish at the gorgeous Benguela Cove on the Whale Coast.

“The headwind was a massive factor in the race and our team did extremely well to keep up the pace. Ziandro’s second place in the amateur category is a testament to the hard work the team has put in. All riders showed massive improvements from last year’s race, which is really encouraging,” Norton pointed out.

The team is straight back into racing with the Ford Trailseeker Wellington race coming up on Saturday 12 September.

“We had excellent results in 2025, so we are looking forward to the same this year. Our goal is to win both the men’s and women’s titles in the Exarro Cat at Wines2Whales, something that we have achieved at the Absa Cape Epic, but never at Wines2Whales.”

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